Speech #920294033

Mr. Speaker. I have introduced a bill today which will grant a child adopted by a single U.S. citizen the same immigrant status as a child adopted by a U.S. citizen and his spouse. Under the present Immigration and Nationality Act. single U.S. citizens are precluded from bringing into the United States as immediate relatives adopted children born in other countries. Aliens with immediate relative status can enter the United States without having to wait for a quota number for visa issuance. However. young aliens adopted by single persons have to wait for this quota number. usually given under the nonpreference classification which is unavailable for many countries because of oversubscription. In progressive States like New York single people are allowed to adopt children. It is far better that a child have a home with a single parent than to live in an orphanage. Two good parents are better than one. one good parent is better than none: Our immigration laws should be updated to give the adopted children of single parents the same immigration privileges given to children adopted by married couples. in..human terms. it simply is unjust to discriminate against orphaned children the way the law does today. I urge our colleagues to support this bill removing this form of discrimination against the adopted child of a single parent.